1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to This Country Life. I'm your host, Brent Rieves 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: from coon hunting to trot lining and just general country living. 3 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: I want you to stay a while as I share 4 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,479 Speaker 1: my stories and the country skills that will help you 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: beat the system. This Country Life is proudly presented as 6 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: part of Meat Eaters Podcast Network, bringing you the best 7 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: outdoor podcast. 8 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 2: The airways have to offer. 9 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: All right, friends, pull you up a chair or drop 10 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: that tailgate. 11 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:34,879 Speaker 2: I think I got a thing or two, and teach. 12 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:45,160 Speaker 1: You squirrel dogs. This week it's all about the squirrel haters. 13 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 1: You know what I'm talking about. Squirrel dogs. We're going 14 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,160 Speaker 1: to talk about what a squirrel dog is and how 15 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: one is trained, and the value of having a good 16 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: one and a good one. It's just like money in 17 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: the bank. You never know how important they are until 18 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: they show you. And with that in mind, I'm going 19 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 1: to tell you a story. We had a little mountain 20 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: cur named Prissy that was mostly white with a light 21 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: brown colored hair on her ears and around her eyes. 22 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: She was a feisty little ball of energy and had 23 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 1: two speeds, stop and go. She was a young dog 24 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: and a little over a year old at the time 25 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: of this story. And I was young and too and 26 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: I couldn't have been more than ten or so. It 27 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: was laid on a fall afternoon when I talked to 28 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 1: my dad into saddling up Buck, his big buckskin horse 29 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: that was the spitting image of the one Marshall Dillon 30 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: road on gun Smoke, so I could go squirrel hunting 31 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: behind the house for hour or so before dark. I'm 32 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: small story. James aren't outsizs. Matt Dollon never heard of 33 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: gun Smoke. It's one of the longest running TV shows 34 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: ever and it was set in Dodge City, Kansas in 35 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 1: the eighteen seventies when dodging bullets, tumbleweeds, and stampede and 36 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: cattle was what them folks call Tuesday. That show ran 37 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: for twenty years, ending in nineteen seventy five, and followed 38 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 1: the adventures of us Marshall Matt Dillon, all around good 39 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: guy and shooter of outlaws. He was a bachelor and 40 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: showed favor to Miss Kitty Russell, the con hearted owner 41 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,839 Speaker 1: of the Long Branch Saloon, bost of Sam the Bartender, 42 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: and all the saloon gals of sport morality that worked there. 43 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: The Long Branch was an actual saloon during that time, 44 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: and you can visit the real one now in Dodge City, 45 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,799 Speaker 1: just like my dad and I did in July two 46 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 1: thousand and one. We were on a journey through Cowboy Country, 47 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,119 Speaker 1: just seeing the sights, and found ourselves walking through those 48 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 1: swinging doors of the Long Branch at nine o'clock in 49 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: the morning. A lady in period clothes of the time 50 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: welcomed us in from the trail and showed us to 51 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: a green felt covered table. She asked us if she 52 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:11,959 Speaker 1: could get us something to drink. My dad said he'd 53 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: have a cup of coffee, and I said, we'll just 54 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: make it too. As she turned to walk off, she said, 55 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: the Cowboys, we are a full service saloon. I said, 56 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: y'all serve beer. She said yes, and hard liquor. I said, well, 57 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: bring me a mug of beer. My dad had the 58 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: craziest look on his face and he said, son, it's 59 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 1: nine o'clock in the morning. I said, I know, but 60 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: how many folks from New Edinburgh, Arkansas do you think 61 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: ever had a beer in a Long Branch saloon? Without hesitation? 62 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: He looked back at her and said, bring me one too. Anyway, 63 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: me prissy and buck head off behind the house for 64 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: a quick hunt, and pressy tree too real quick, and 65 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: I killed both of them with my twenty two. She 66 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: then took off and treated a pretty good way's away, 67 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: and it took me a little bit to get to her. 68 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: When I did, I slid down off buck and walked 69 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: up to the tree in time to see that squirrel 70 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: start running through the treetops. With Prissy and Meat in 71 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: hot pursuit. It seemed like we went forever when that 72 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: squirrel finally made it to its den and disappeared. Now 73 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: I'd been running and chasing that squirrel, looking up the 74 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: whole time, circling trees and pulling vines. When that race 75 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: ended at the den tree, I couldn't tell how I 76 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: got there or which way it was back to where 77 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: I dropped the reins on my horse. It was cloudy, 78 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: starting to get dark, and I thought I was fixing 79 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: to have to spend the night in the woods. Prissy 80 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: was standing on a big old stump, looking right at 81 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 1: me with her tail waggon and panting with excitement and 82 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: waiting to see what was next. For all I knew 83 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,359 Speaker 1: camping was next, at least since the dad came and 84 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: found me. But I didn't want to be rescued. I 85 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:54,599 Speaker 1: always wanted to show him that I could make it 86 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: in the woods and do anything that he could do, 87 00:04:57,279 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: and all the things that he'd been teaching me my 88 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: whole life. I was going to be embarrassed if he 89 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: had to come find me. But I was starting to 90 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 1: get a little cold and a lot scared. I didn't 91 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 1: know what else to do, so I looked pretty dead 92 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:13,119 Speaker 1: in the eyes and told her to go find Buck. 93 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 2: Now. 94 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 1: I said it twice, and on the second command, she 95 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: took off like she was late for work, in a 96 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 1: direction I was confident wasn't remotely close to the. 97 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 2: Direction of where Buck was. 98 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,280 Speaker 1: I instantly regretted my decision of telling her to leave, 99 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 1: especially since she was going to be my only source 100 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 1: of heat for the night. And if I managed to 101 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: lose Buck and Prissy on the same day, if I 102 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 1: did make it out alive, my butt wasn't going. 103 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:39,719 Speaker 2: To hold chucks. 104 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 1: After Dad got through with me, about one hundred yards away, 105 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: Prissy commenced a tread. It was really getting close to 106 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: dark now, so it's as fast and as safely as 107 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: I could go, Towing my rifle and fighting through the 108 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 1: bushes and briars. I headed in a bee line straight 109 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:58,600 Speaker 1: to where she was barking. I busted out of that 110 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: little thicket ten yards away from her, and there she stood, 111 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 1: in the fading light on a big old log, right 112 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: beside buck, barking away to let me know where to go. 113 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 1: I loved her and petted her up, put my rifle 114 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: in the scabbard, climbed up on that monster of a 115 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: horse and gave him a little spur, and he turned 116 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 1: and walked straight back to the barn where Dad was 117 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:22,159 Speaker 1: waiting on me. I'd asked her to tree squirrels, and 118 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: she did. I'd ask her to find my horse, and 119 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: she did. Not only did she find him, but she 120 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: also told me out loud where to come find him. 121 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: And her she did all that on her own. She 122 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: was the heck of a dog. And that's just how 123 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: that happened. Squirrel dogs, Where you gonna get one? Facebook, 124 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: Jenny Craigslist, No you can't. You can't find a dog there, 125 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: But I'm gonna tell you where and how to find one. 126 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:00,159 Speaker 1: Find a place where coffee and biscuits are sold. Now, 127 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 1: I ain't talking about under the Golden arches. I'm talking 128 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: about that spot where the floor creaks when you walk 129 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:08,119 Speaker 1: in and the waitress calls you sugar, and the old 130 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: men gather. 131 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 2: Talk to the waitress, ask. 132 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: Her who she hears that's a squirrel dog man. She's 133 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 1: bound to have heard the name or two from all 134 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: the tails she's overheard while topping off coffee cups where 135 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: the old folks hold cord every morning. If she gives 136 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: you a name, tip heavy and slip out the door 137 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: and drive to the next spot and do the same 138 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: thing again, and repeat it until you get the same 139 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: name twice. When you do, that's your man. That's the 140 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: cat that knows this business well enough that other folks 141 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 1: know it too. Now, seriously, if you personally don't know anybody, 142 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: just google it. I did, and I found a ton 143 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: of very useful information and names I recognized as being 144 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: longtime leaders in the squirrel dog business. Talk to the breeders, 145 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: talk to his clients. There's lots of stuff on the 146 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: innerwebs about squirrel but there's no substitute for putting your 147 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: eyeballs in person on the pup you're considering. If you're 148 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: gonna do it from scratch with no leads or suggestions 149 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 1: from friends or hunting buddies, take your time and do 150 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: your homework. If it works out like it or to, 151 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: you're adding a family memory that you get to choose, 152 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: unlike that crazy old Uncle Frank that you just got 153 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: by default. Before I found my coonhound Whaling, I looked 154 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: for six months and I talked to a whole bunch 155 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: of folks about dogs, pedigrees, and just about everything you 156 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: can imagine. I put in the time and the research, 157 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: and I got lucky. Lots of folks will go through 158 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:45,040 Speaker 1: several dogs before they find one that suits them. I 159 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: was blessed with bringing home a coonhound that turned into 160 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: a coon dog. Now there's a big difference in coonhound 161 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: a coon dog, just like there is between a man 162 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: that fishes and a fisherman. Whaling was born a tree 163 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 1: and walker Coonhoun. His ability to learn and to sniff 164 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: out old tricky ricky raccoon consistently time and time again 165 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: is how he earned the title coon dog. The same 166 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: applies to any dog that has a specific purpose. Bird dogs, 167 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:24,559 Speaker 1: squirrel dogs, hogdogs, cow dogs, on and on. So we 168 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 1: got an idea on how to look for a squirrel dog. 169 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 1: What kind are you looking for? Cur feist hound, terrier 170 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 1: the room you have to keep one will tell you that, 171 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: along with how much walking you want to do. But 172 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: you're looking for a dog that's got some smarts and 173 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: the drive to get out and find a squirrel. Bigger 174 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: dogs usually range farther than the little ones closer. I've 175 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: seen everything in the world tree a squirrel. 176 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 2: Here's an example. 177 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: Remember my old cow dog Luke that I accompanied on 178 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: that trip to the vet when my truck was shedding parts, 179 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: going and coming like a I talked about in episode four. Well, 180 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 1: he was supposed to have been a cow dog, but 181 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 1: he tree squirrels too, But it wasn't his main purpose. 182 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:09,960 Speaker 2: And I'll tell you why in just a minute. 183 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 1: Luke could tree enough to keep you from starving slapt 184 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: to death if you could shoot worth anything. But he 185 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 1: wasn't a patch to the most famous bobtailed cur that 186 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: ever drew a breath, Peanut. Peanut was a mountain cur. 187 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 1: He had a yellow blanket back, four white socks, a 188 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 1: small peanut shaped patch of yellow on his head. But 189 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 1: he was also my daddy's favorite son. Just kidding, not really, 190 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: but let's get back on track. There's basically two kinds 191 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 1: of dogs that tree squirrels, the ones that do it 192 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: by sight and the ones that do it by smell. 193 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: Now bear with me and pay attention just about any 194 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:51,079 Speaker 1: old fruit through ankle biting, yippity yapping dog will run 195 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 1: a squirrel up a tree when they see it. That 196 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: don't make him a squirrel dog. That's just a dog 197 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:59,079 Speaker 1: hunting squirrels. Remember there's a difference. And that's what more 198 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: or less Lou was doing. They're just out there minding 199 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: their own business. When they catch some movement and squirrel, 200 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: they take off in pursuit and run nut joker up 201 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:12,720 Speaker 1: a tree. Sometimes they bark, most times they don't. They're 202 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 1: just out there jumping up and down and looking back 203 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: at you for help or praise for them for saving 204 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: your life by running that rabid creature up a tree. 205 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: Those dogs are just using their eyes. What you want 206 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 1: is one that'll do both tracking dogs or scind dogs 207 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: will use sight to a certain degree, but they're mostly 208 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 1: using their nose to find where squirrel's been on the ground. 209 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: That was peanut in a nutshell? See what I did there. 210 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: When those dogs are hunting, they look like a MetalMan 211 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 1: in a shooting gallery, just running back and forth in 212 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: every witch away, But there's a method to their madness. 213 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 1: When they smell one, they'll follow that scind it left 214 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 1: and determine which tree it's gone up and start treeing. 215 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 2: Tree. 216 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: It means the dog is usually reared up with his 217 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: front paws on the tree and barking to let you 218 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 1: know where he is and that he's found a squirrel. 219 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:07,080 Speaker 1: It's important that he barks in a good loud bark 220 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: that you can hear. Sometimes the barking will cause the 221 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: squirrel to take off through the treetops to escape, and 222 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: that's when a good dog will use his sight to 223 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 1: follow them from tree to tree as the squirrel tries 224 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 1: to get to the safety of his nest or his den, 225 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: just like Chrissy did. I grew up hunting squirrels from horses, 226 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:26,959 Speaker 1: and I'd try to be the first one to the tree, 227 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: jump off my horse and stand opposite of the direction 228 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 1: my dad would be riding up on and getting ready. 229 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: More times than not, when he got there, the squirrel 230 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: would jump back around on my side of the tree 231 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: and I'd shoot him out now here, I am talking 232 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 1: about shooting squirrels, and we ain't got our dog trains yet, 233 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:47,959 Speaker 1: So how do we train one well, the easiest way 234 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,199 Speaker 1: is to start out with a dog that it's bred 235 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: to do that sort of thing, and the most popular 236 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 1: breeds where I'm from are curved and fists or a 237 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: mixture of both. Now you like a hunter's please save 238 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:03,199 Speaker 1: you hate mail. You've got a proven squirrel dog, even 239 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: though it looks like it ought to be pulling a 240 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: slid in Alaska rather than tree and squirrels in the 241 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:12,200 Speaker 1: river bottoms, which reminds me of a story. So thanks 242 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 1: Jack London looking squirrel dog for reminding me. I was 243 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 1: in Alaska filming a hunt one time, and the folks 244 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: we were staying with at our flying camp had a 245 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:27,719 Speaker 1: big old Golden Retriever that were always. 246 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 2: Running around outside barking. 247 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:31,440 Speaker 1: It was my first time up there, and I was 248 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 1: expecting to get monkey stumped by a moose or et 249 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 1: by a bear at every turn. That dog wasn't helping 250 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 1: me relax by barking constantly. I asked the pilot what 251 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 1: that dog was barking at, and he said, he's outside 252 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 1: tree and squirrels. 253 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 2: The devil, you say. 254 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 1: My fears of winding up in wolfscat were immediately gone. 255 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:53,839 Speaker 1: I borrowed as twenty two, went outside and commenced to 256 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 1: working on them squirrels. I proudly hold the record in 257 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 1: the Riz family of being the only want to shoot 258 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: a treed squirrel north of the forty ninth parallel. Put 259 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: that in your pipe and smoke at reeves. Is back 260 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:13,160 Speaker 1: to training. I promise a puppy from a proven family 261 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,560 Speaker 1: of squirrel dogs is a good head start. They're usually 262 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 1: not cheap, and that can be downright expensive for one 263 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: that's one hundred percent finished and fully trained. But we're 264 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 1: talking about a young dog and the first thing you 265 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 1: want to do is to have him mind in you. 266 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 1: You don't want to cut him loose without the ability 267 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 1: to call him back. 268 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 2: That is no boino. 269 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: You also don't want one that's gun shy if you 270 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 1: can't keep him around when when the shooting starts, that 271 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: one squirrel or trip ain't gonna be enough to feed nobody. 272 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 1: And let's face it, hunting squirrels is fun, but eating 273 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:51,119 Speaker 1: squirrels is funner. There's a million YouTube lessons and countless 274 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: articles on how to keep your dog from being gun shy. 275 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 1: Most of them teach introducing ever increasing noises over a 276 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 1: period of time. While that pupp is eating and his 277 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: attention is focused away on a good thing like food, 278 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 1: which is a good way to train me. As a 279 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: matter of fact, our very own Tony Peterson wrote an 280 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: excellent article called how to Introduce your Puppet the Gunfire 281 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 1: back in twenty nineteen. You can find it on the 282 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: media the website. While doing a little research on material 283 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: to tell you all about, I found that article almost 284 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 1: a step by step method of what my dad taught 285 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 1: me to do with our dogs. Tony, you on me 286 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: twenty bucks. Now we've got our pupp he ain't gun shy. Now, 287 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: so let's hit the woods. Squirrels like acorns, fruit and 288 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: the berries that grow in the hardwood timber, and that's 289 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 1: where we need to be. Now, hold on a minute. 290 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: Squirrel food that reminds me of a story. I promised 291 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about training, but you got to 292 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: hear this story. I saw a squirrel eat a fried 293 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 1: squirrel one time when I was a uniform officer at 294 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: the state Capitol and the little rock I had taken 295 00:15:57,120 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 1: my grub to work that was left over from the 296 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: supper of the night before. I was on patrol and 297 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 1: parked out of the way parking lot behind the state 298 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 1: Capital to eat my dinner. Those city squirrels up there 299 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: are bold. They ain't scared of nothing. I was sitting there, 300 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: chowing down on the hind leg of a gray squirrel 301 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 1: and watching alive one a few feet away from my 302 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 1: patrol car gnawing on a hick or not. We were 303 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: taking turns giving one another stinky. And when I finished 304 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 1: that leg, I chunked it at that up of the squirrel, 305 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 1: just to let him know I come from a distinguished 306 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 1: family of squirrel killers. That dude dodged it like a ninja. 307 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 1: Then he picked it up and started chewing on it. 308 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 1: The last time I saw him, he was running across 309 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 1: that parking lot towing that leg in his mouth like 310 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: a black lab with green head. Squirrels are savages, No 311 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 1: wonder dogs hate them anyway. Keep turning that dog loose 312 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: where the squirrels live, and eventually, if he's got the 313 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: drive and the natural ability, they're going across paths and 314 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 1: he'll start seeing the light of his purpose and the 315 00:16:58,160 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: reason you brought. 316 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 2: Him and cut him loop to begin with. 317 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 1: Hunting your pup with a proven tree dog will help 318 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: even more. It speeds up the process. When they can 319 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: see a dog operate and learn from the example that 320 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: a tree dog is given, it is absolutely invaluable. Now, 321 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: dogs ain't that smart? You say, they can't reason? You 322 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:24,720 Speaker 1: better sit down for this one Pardoner, My brother Tim 323 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 1: and I were home from duck camp and squirrel hunting 324 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: behind his house. 325 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 2: One morning. 326 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: We were walking through the bottoms with his squirrel dog, Susy. 327 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: His old lab Zach was in told just for the 328 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:37,719 Speaker 1: fun of it, and we killed a few squirrels. By 329 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 1: the time we got down to the bow, Susy had 330 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:43,120 Speaker 1: made a big circle and was walking up with us 331 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,160 Speaker 1: and Zack to a high bank looking down on the water. 332 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: A pair of wood ducks blew out of there, and 333 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 1: instinctively we both threw up our shotguns and fired at 334 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:55,159 Speaker 1: the same kind, killing both of them. It was the 335 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:59,200 Speaker 1: thing of beauty, a squirrel hunting miracle. We were high 336 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: five and last, and when Tim sent Zack out to 337 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: retrieve the ducks, Susy stood right there where she had 338 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 1: been all along, watching for the first time as Zach 339 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:12,119 Speaker 1: demonstrated his purpose in life. He was crawling up the 340 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: bank with that first duck. When kuld chug she hit 341 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,919 Speaker 1: the water swam out and retrieved the other one, just 342 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 1: like she saw him do. Not only that, when she 343 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,199 Speaker 1: dropped that duck at Tim's feet, she wraared up on 344 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 1: a big cypress we were standing beside and treated a 345 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:30,639 Speaker 1: squirrel and we got him too. And she did that 346 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 1: solely on her own, by watching what Zack had done 347 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 1: and reasoning that she could do it too, and she did. 348 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: Everyone knows about Pavlov and his slobbering dogs, but it 349 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:50,120 Speaker 1: was Susie ringing mine and Tim's bell that day. Now, 350 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: taking care of a dog is a big responsibility. I 351 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 1: was taught by my dad and I've continued that lesson 352 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 1: with my kids. And if my dad was gonna feed 353 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 1: one a dog of any kind, they were going to 354 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:04,639 Speaker 1: earn their victas in the woods. 355 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 2: I'm the same way. 356 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 1: My wife and youngest daughter not so much exhibit a. 357 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 1: Rosie the jack Russell terrorist, as I referred to her. 358 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: That's currently staring at me while I'm talking to y'all. 359 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: That's all she does is follow me around, hate whaling 360 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:27,159 Speaker 1: and stare at me. She's been staring at me for 361 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: twelve years. She reminds me better than any of my 362 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:33,120 Speaker 1: youngest and I hope that nerve wracking heifer stares at 363 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: me for another twelve kind of got used to her. Now. 364 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: That's a pretty condensed version of squirrel dogs, according to Brent, 365 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:42,679 Speaker 1: and I didn't even cover the duel purpose and the 366 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 1: importance they play in the family. Peanut and Susie, they 367 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 1: weren't just dogs, they were family. Peanut lived for about 368 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: twelve years, and when he died, we didn't have enough 369 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: shovels to dig a hole big enough for all the 370 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 1: folks that wanted to go with him. The good ones 371 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 1: are special and their memories will make you happy. 372 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 2: Friend. 373 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 1: I appreciate y'all listening so much. I hope you'll come 374 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 1: back next week. If you enjoyed it, share it with 375 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 1: a friend. If you didn't share it with an enemy, 376 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 1: that'll show them this is Brent Reeves. 377 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 2: Sign it off. Y'all be careful.